The 58-year-old, who was originally from Salford, was jailed for 18 years at Liverpool Crown Court for leading a network with scant respect for law enforcement agencies.

People like Baron cannot operate alone....they have to rely on othersSteve Baldwin, Serious and Organised Crime Agency

Steve Baldwin, head of investigation in the north west for the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca), said: "Even when we seized drugs they just took them as losses on the profit margins of their company.

"They thought this is like a tax."

Describing the gang's drugs smuggling operation as "huge" he added: "Baron portrayed himself as a legitimate businessman.

"He was living a highly luxurious lifestyle and thought he was above the law but in fact we were investigating him and other members of this network.

"We were behind them all the way. In fact, we were one step ahead of them.

"People like Baron cannot operate alone, they might be high up in criminality, but they have to rely on others," said Mr Baldwin.

The highly complex investigation to bring Baron and his gang to justice involved 16 UK police forces and six foreign law enforcement agencies.